Influence of spatial connectivity on food web stability

Natural communities are undergoing accelerated changes due to human pressures such as habitat fragmentation and species invasions. One way of anticipating community responses to these changes is through dynamical food web models whereby key species traits are altered and the community repercussions are assessed. These modeling approaches, however, overlook the spatial dynamics which are critical for community processes. Here, I propose to adapt techniques from infectious disease models and previous food web models to link smaller food webs in space, building up into these complex food webs. Predicting the response of communities to global changes is of critical importance. These communities, however, do not act in isolation. Thus, forecasting species’ response to perturbations across scales is an essential task. Yet, the inherent complexity of natural communities makes this a difficult undertaking. The approach described here should allow us to reconstruct communities in scalable patterns making global conclusions more tangible.

Faculty Supervisor:

Shawn Leroux

Student:

Partner:

University of Canterbury

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Sustainability & the Environment; Natural Resources

University:

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Program: